1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to packaging assemblies for storage and display of products.
2. Background of the Invention
In the world of high volume retail selling, it is desirable to present products to a customer in an attractive way, while still being able to accommodate both a large variety of products, as well as a large number of units for any given product. Often, the need to catch a viewer's attention on the part of a manufacturer/retailer of a particular product may be compromised by the need to store and display products in a compact manner consistent with the high volume and generally low cost sales of the retailer. In addition, with respect to warehouse clubs in particular, there is a need for product packages that can be stacked on a pallet, moved as a unit to a sales location, and easily unwrapped for display to and access by customers.
In addition, the challenge for manufacturers of packages is in striking the appropriate balance between adequately protecting the products from damage and minimizing the amount of handling necessary to display the products on the store floor. Further complicating this balance, the manufacturers generally favor plastic individual product packaging, such as clamshell packages or blister packs, because it is inexpensive and deters theft. Plastic packaging has the additional benefit of enabling the actual product to be viewable by consumers. Such packaging, however, is more susceptible to shipping damage and more difficult to display in bulk form (e.g., typical clamshells were originally intended to hang and did not stand up on their own). As a result, manufacturers and warehouse clubs are in a constant search for packaging that ships and protects the inexpensive plastic individual product packaging, and allows for easy handling and display of the products on the store floor.
A packaging assembly aimed at meeting the guidelines of warehouse clubs is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,979,662; 6,050,420; 6,152,305; 6,367,632; and 6,427,842. This assembly has two distinguishing features. First, it requires that the plastic individual product packaging provide the support that allows multiple assemblies to be stacked on top of each other. Second, it relies on pairs of slots in the side panels of the base of the assembly alone to hold the plastic individual product packaging in place.
In order for the individual product packaging to provide support for the assembly, it is desirable that the individual product packaging be strengthened beyond what is necessary to perform the functions of product protection, display, and theft deterrence. It is also desirable for a base to be strengthened beyond what is necessary to support and protect the assembly. Strengthening both the individual product packaging and the base of the assembly increases the overall cost and complexity of the packaging assembly. Accordingly, it can be appreciated that a substantial need exists for packaging assemblies that meet the guidelines of warehouse clubs, yet maintain the lowest overall increase in packaging costs and complexity.